


Parker the Elf

by meils121



Category: Leverage
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Movies, F/M, Family Fluff, Gen, Snow, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 13:16:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17044418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meils121/pseuds/meils121
Summary: Sometimes the Leverage team has a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit.  Good thing Parker is here to save the day - or the season.





	Parker the Elf

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Glinda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glinda/gifts).



          It’s one of those snow storms that’s more an annoyance than a problem, or at least that’s what the weatherman says.  Parker doesn’t consider snow in any form annoying, but the rest of the team all grumbles at the news that the next week will see a couple feet of snow.  Eliot says the knife set he ordered is gonna be delayed.  Sophie’s upset that her early-winter boots have to give way to more practical footwear so early in the season.  Nate - well, Nate’s just Nate, as far as Parker can tell.  Sometimes she thinks he gets grumpy just for the fun of it.  Hardison mutters something about how the storm better not mess with his signal, but Parker knows he doesn’t mind the snow as much as he’s pretending to.

          Parker slips outside an hour after the first flakes start falling.  They’re just starting to stick to the ground, a thin layer of white that already promises so much.  Parker likes the snow, likes the feeling of a new world settling into place over the one she’s already in.  It feels magical, like anything could happen and something will. 

          That something turns out to be Nate coming outsides some time later, bundled up against the sharp wind.  He hands something to Parker, what looks like two oddly shaped, oversized woven tennis rackets. 

          “What are these?”

          Nate gestures to the ground.  He’s wearing the weird rackets on his feet.  “Snowshoes, Parker.  They help you walk in snow better.  Here, I’ll help you put them on.”

          He helps Parker slid her feet between a complicated system of straps.  She feels oddly off balance and stable all at the same time.  “These are weird.”  She decides quickly.  She takes a hesitant step forward, her foot feeling heavier than normal, but is delighted that she doesn’t sink as far into the snow.  There’s not much snow to sink into, to be fair, but it’s definitely more fun to use these snowshoes than normal boots.

          Nate is still Nate, though, and he doesn’t talk much as they stomp around the block.  Parker takes a few minutes to adjust, but Nate’s already a pro at snowshoes.

          “How’d you get so good at these?”  Parker asks.

          Nate glances at her, a faint smile on his lips.  “Maggie and I used to go snowshoeing through the woods all the time.”  He explains.  “It’s relaxing, isn’t it?”

          Parker doesn’t know if she’d use the word relaxing - because it’s still a bit of a struggle to move her foot the way she wants too - but it is nice, so she just nods in agreement.  

          It’s only a couple weeks out from Christmas, and the walk takes them through a neighborhood that’s fully decorated.  Parker pauses in the middle of the sidewalk and takes in the sights.  There’s a giant flashing ‘North Pole’ sign at one house.  Another is decked out in more lights than even she thought possible. 

          “It’s beautiful.”  She says.  When she glances over at Nate, she catches him smiling.  “What?”

          He shakes his head.  “Merry Christmas, Parker.”

 

\----------

 

          The next morning dawns crisp and clear, with a thick layer of snow coating the ground.  Eliot’s the only one up this early.  He slides a mug of hot chocolate across the bar to Parker.  “Morning.”

          “Will you go ice skating with me?”  Parker asks, then adds enough whipped cream to her hot chocolate to put it in danger of spilling over the edges of the mug.  “Please?”

          “Why me?”

          “Because you’re good at it.”  Parker says.  “I’ve seen you skate.”  

          Eliot rolls his eyes but nods anyways.  “Okay.  Later.  The rink won’t open for a couple hours.”

          Three hours later, wrapped up in layers against the cold, Parker steps out onto the ice.  It takes a moment to adjust, but soon enough she can glide across the ice with ease.  Eliot - the show off - skates backwards next to her.  

          “I like ice skating.”  Parker says as they do another lap around the rink.  “We should take Hardison some time.” 

          Eliot screeches to a stop.  “Hardison?  He’d break his arm.”

          “Mmm.  Good point.”  Parker considers this.  “He’d probably complain for months.  Maybe we shouldn’t bring him.”

          Eliot just shakes his head.  “If you really want to, I’ll support him on one side and you can support the other.  Together we should be able to keep him from falling.”

          Parker grins.  “Good solution.”  She cheers.  She spins in a small circle, slightly wobbly on the skates.  Eliot grabs her arm to keep her steady.  “This is fun.”

         

\----------

 

          Sophie peers out at the falling snow.  “It’s days like these that make me miss London.”  She says with a sigh.  She’s got her hands wrapped around a cup of tea, and even though they’re inside she’s wearing a large scarf over a cozy sweater that Parker is considering stealing because it’s so soft.

          “Snow’s fun.”  Parker says with a shake of her head.

          “Fun?”  Sophie repeats.  Her nose wrinkles slightly.  “Impossible.”  But she says it with a smile, so Parker knows she’s mostly kidding.

          Parker stands up.  “Come on.”  She urges.  “I’ll show you.” 

          Sophie follows, pulling on an oversized coat with a giant fur hood.  “Coming.”  She steps outside and shivers.  “What are we doing?”

          Parker points at the snow.  “Building a snowman.  Duh.”

          “A snowman?”

          “It’s good packing snow.  Here, start rolling.”

          Sophie hesitates for a moment before joining Parker.  It doesn’t take them long to build the first part of the snowman, and Sophie works on rolling the head while Parker builds the middle part of the body.  

          “This is work.”  Sophie says with a laugh as they lift the head onto the body.  Parker grins. 

          “But it’s fun, right?”

          “It is.”  Sophie admits.  Her cheeks are rosy and her breath comes out in visible puffs of air.  “Now what?”

          Parker grins.  “We ask Eliot for a carrot.”  She says.  “And we need branches.”

          The finished snowman sits in front of the brew pub.  It’s a little crooked, tilting to one side.  It’s face is lopsided as well, but it’s got a big grin on its face.  Parker and Sophie take a step back to admire their work.  Sophie throws an arm around Parker. 

          “Not bad for my first attempt.”  She says.  “Thanks, Parker.”

          “For what?”

          Sophie starts heading inside.  “For showing me how to make this weather a little more fun.”  

          Parker stays outside a little while longer.  She names the snowman Frosty - because she loves those movies - and breathes in the cold air and grins up at the snowflakes that are still falling.

 

\----------

 

          Parker is curled up on the couch, feet tucked under her body.  She’s got yet another mug of hot chocolate - because now she has an excuse to drink this much, thank you very much - and Frosty is playing on one of Hardison’s giant screens.  

          Hardison himself wanders in some time later.  “You gonna spend the whole day in here or what?”  He asks.

          Parker turns to look at him.  “What else would we do?”

          “Mama, I’m appalled.  We’re going sledding.”

          Parker leaps up off the couch.  “Really?  We’re going?”

          “Hell yeah, we’re going.”  Hardison says, then staggers backwards as Parker crashes into him for a hug.  

          The hill Hardison has found is _gigantic_ , and Parker lets out a gasp when they reach the top.  “This is amazing!”

          “This might have been a mistake.”  Hardison says, but he’s smiling too so Parker figures he must be joking.  “Come on, girl.  Let’s do this.”

          The sled is barely big enough for both of them.  Parker sits down first, Hardison sitting behind her and trying to fit his long legs on the sled.  For a moment they’re at risk of tipping over before they even start down the hill, but Hardison rights them and pushes off.  

          The ride down the hill is nearly as fun as jumping off a building.  They crash land at the bottom, sled tipping over and dumping them both into a bank of snow.  When they emerge, they’re both laughing and covered in a fine dusting of snow. 

          “Again.”  Parker cries out as soon as their laughter dies down.  

          They spend the afternoon flying down the hill over and over.  They don’t get any better at the stopping part, and more often than not they end up with snow down the back of their jackets and in their faces.  By the time darkness starts to fall, they’re out of breath and exhausted and perfectly happy. 

          That night, Hardison puts on a marathon of Christmas movies and they snuggle up under a cozy blanket.  Outside, snow continues to fall.

 


End file.
